DL4 Delay Modeler Review

The DL4 Delay Modeler offers you an incredible array of sounds, from a tube driven, tape loop echo (complete with adjustable wow and flutter), through 24 bit squeaky clean digital echo, to real-time reverse delay. Not only that, but you've got complete programmable control over all aspects of the sound in the studio and on the stage. Incredibly simple to use, it's an amazingly powerful tool offering you delay effects never before available in a single box.

Ease of Use:	8.5
Sound:	10
Reliability:	8.5
Impression:	9.5
Overall rating:	9.1
Users rating:	8.8
Comments:	20

overall: 8.8

Featured review by: nibbleschew, on july 04, 2007

Price paid: $ 249.99

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Ease of Use: The DL4 Delay modeler, can create any type of delay imaginable, and also has a loop sampler, in which you can slow down, speed up, or reverse the 14 seconds of loop time. If you put the loop on half speed, you get 28 seconds instead of 14, making it worth while. When you take it out of the box it has factory presets which sound great. This thing is really easy to use, but gets more complicated the more intricate you want to make your delays. This product has any Vintage delay you want from classic delays to reverbs to reverse. Line 6 also threw in some of there own creations which include Sweep Echo, all of which sound great. If you compare this to a Boss DD-20 Giga Delay, heres the deal: The DL-4 has more delays, easier way to change delays, the DD-20 has pin-point delays, but is harder to change to another delay. // 9

Sound: My pedal set up includes 2 DL-4 Delays, 1 Boss DD-20 Giga Delay, CS-3 Compressor, TS-9 Tube Screamer, FM-4 Filter modeler(also a Line 6 Product), and a DigiTech Whammy pedal. I have had it running through an Ibanez AXS-42, Fender Telecaster Deluxe, Fender Stratocaster, and a Gibson SG Classic; which are hooked up to amps such as the Crate Palamino 32, a Fender DeVille, and a Vox AC30 Custom Classic. This pedal is never noisy, infact it has true bypass. Some effects such as reverse, change the sound drasticly, where Tube Echo, adds slight change to the sound. With most effects you are able to manipulate the delay to either create drastic or minor sound changes and you never loose the tone. With this pedal, if you want to immitate a delay on a song you like, you can find it on the DL-4. Artists that are known for using this pedal includes Minus the Bear's Dave Knudson, and The Mars Volta's Omar Rodriguez-Lopez. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This pedal isn't as durable as Boss pedals, but I've had one for 18 months now, and the only problem I have is the buttons get a little loose and you have to tighten them or else they have a possibility of breaking off. I've dropped it numerous times and it works fine. Although sound quality is excellent and for the most part if well taken care it is durable, it's a smart thing to have a back up delay if your playing a gig. // 7

Impression: I play hardcore, alternative, jazz, metal and progressive music, and it fits everything. I said above that I have 2 DL4's, so yes If it were stolen, I'd definately consider buying it again. This pedal is a delay/loop pedal and has infinate possibilities, however if your specifically looking for a loop pedal, just get a pedal specifically made for looping, because if you bought this pedal and just used it for looping, it wouldn't be worth the money. If your looking for a good delay pedal with every delay you could possibly want, this is your dream. // 9

overall: 9.5

Reviewed by: rj540, on august 10, 2007

Purchased from: Guitar Center

Ease of Use: This pedal is very easy to use and very versatile as far as getting the delay sound you want. You can customize the sound of each delay model preset on the pedal, as well as save your favorite 4 delay sounds into the foot buttons on the pedal. The coolest part is that it also has a 16-second Looper with the option of Normal, Reverse, or 1/2 Speed playback and recording, with the ability to use all three modes at once, and with ease. The pedal is well laid out, so you don't risk hitting two buttons at once or have to deal with tiny knobs. The manual shows you what each of the knobs do for each effect, and all in all, it is very easy to get great, great sounds out of this pedal. It also has stereo inputs and outputs (meaning one jack for the Left/Mono channel, and one for Right channel) which are great for recording or other creative uses. It's only problem is the large size it takes up on the pedal board. // 8

Sound: I play this pedal with a Schecter guitar going into various Fender amps, along with a Tube Screamer, Boss Phase Shifter, and Vox Wah, and the sound is always great. In fact, the sound is just plain excellent. The infinite number of noises and sounds you can get out of this pedal is awesome, and it's not noisy at all. Playing with knobs allow you to get all manner of crazy noises as well as complex melodies, and in combination with the ability to record and loop these sounds, you hardly need a band behind you: just drum on your strings and loop it. This is hands down the best pedal I've ever played with, if only for it's capacity for being creative. I connect both a guitar and vocal mic to this pedal and can create whole changing, shifting soundscapes for hours and hours on end. // 10

Reliability & Durability: Totally dependable, I've had it for about a year and it's never had any problems. I would definitely, and have, gigged with it. Just set all the delay effects you want beforehand, and you're set. Easily reprogrammable on stage between songs as well. I've heard that the foot switches become loose over time, but I haven't had any problems with that, or with anything else. // 10

Impression: This pedal is great for anyone of any playing style or ability. It'll make an amateur sound professional, and a professional sound godlike. You can use it to practice by looping chord changes or drumbeats and soloing over them, or use it to gig, to create moods, it'll do anything your creative mind can dream up. I've been playing guitar for 5 or 6 years, and I can play any sort of music solo into this pedal for hours and hours on end. Any other pedals or gadgets you have will only boost your number of musical possibilities. Not only would it be good for guitar players, but for vocalists. I routinely have beatboxing jams into it, laying down guitar lines over the top. All in all, it's a pedal for those who want to be create with their instrument. It encourages creativity like no other pedal I've played, and is a great buy for anyone. The Holy Grail of delay pedals. // 10

Comments

[HelpMeImHungry]

this pedal is a staple of our band's jams

[frustrat62]

John Frusciante uses it too.

[simon4145]

Let's not forget Claudio Sanchez uses it too.

[tmv91]

Im thinking about getting it, but tons of reviews say that it stops working because the actual electronical board is under the footswitches, so you're constantly stepping on the electronics. anyone know if they fixed that?

[spoonylove90]

i used my teachers rig at a school function and accidentally turned this thing on. luckily i was soloing and whatever setting he had it on sounded good.

[nibbleschew]

tmv91 wrote:

Im thinking about getting it, but tons of reviews say that it stops working because the actual electronical board is under the footswitches, so you're constantly stepping on the electronics. anyone know if they fixed that?

I'm not sure, they do have 2 different models, both of mine are the newer ones about a year old and still fine, but a friend of mines is the older model and it sometimes malfunctions.

[TehJermie]

this a sick pedal. there are a few lemons that do go around though.

[rhcp_freak]

Would it be better to buy this or a DMM? I'm attracted by the fact that the DMM has chorus and vibrato too.

[xinal]

i've had to have mine repaired twice because of the footswitch destroying the electronics under it.

[customisbetter]

thomas erak of the Fall Of Troy uses this pedal for almost every song.
hes a guitar god btw, up there with tom morello and matt bellamy.

[spoonylove90]

does this thing have that "strings" efffect that sounds like a swelling violin?

[derekrck]

i keep hearing that these things break all the time, but i wanted to try one out because i saw thomas erak, minus the bear, and claudio use them, but when i went to guitar center to try one out it was broken!
i got a boss dd20 instead and it works great, but i am trying to get effects like thomas erak who uses the dl4 in combination with the fm4 which is common, so should i purchase the fm-4 and just use it along with my gg20???

[derekrck]

i ment i have a gd-20 my mistake

[Ibzman]

I considered buying one but the whole electronics thing is quite horrible.. isn'T it possible to shield the electronics to prevent this ?

[DancingDays]

matt belamey isnt a guitar god, steady on

[tmv91]

tom morello isnt either

[Ace Frehley]

Tom Morello has created his own technics.That's why he can be called a guitar god.

[Weybl Himself]

The newer DL4s are more consistantly reliable than the original ones from 200-2003ish. Like any product, there are some average ones floating around but I'm yet to meet a guitarist who uses one of these who has had anything but good times. All of those guys however got theirs in the past 4 years, so it's probably best to avoid older, second hand ones.

And to spooneylove90, the DL4 does have the auto-volume swell. But so does the Echo Park (the DL4's little brother) so that's worth a look if you're strapped for cash.

[guy_tebache]

DancingDays :
matt belamey isnt a guitar god, steady on

tmv91 :
tom morello isnt either

Ace Frehley :
Tom Morello has created his own technics.That's why he can be called a guitar god.

Both of them are very good- and more importantly inovative guitarists... But in my opinion neither of them even compare to John Frusciante

[guy_tebache]

oh and this looks awsome. I'm gonna buy one from an ebay store